


the way you make me feel

by fruitbattery



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Background Percahlia, F/M, Strangers to Lovers, back hallway shenanigans, potential future scandals, sibling intuition
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-16
Updated: 2019-10-16
Packaged: 2020-12-17 09:44:44
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,722
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21052340
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fruitbattery/pseuds/fruitbattery
Summary: Vax had thought he was too old to get dragged along on these sorts of things, but the promise of free (well, pre-paid) drinks and appetizers balances out the general vibe of “you will put on this tuxedo and stand around swaying for three hours.” That, and maybe making some of those “connections” Vex and Scanlan are always telling him are so important. Or even just a friend or two.





	the way you make me feel

The party is shaping up to be dull as all get-out, a cocktail reception for Vex’s new boyfriend’s best friend’s dad. Some politician. Vax had thought he was too old to get dragged along on these sorts of things, but the promise of free (well, pre-paid) drinks and appetizers balances out the general vibe of “you will put on this tuxedo and stand around swaying for three hours.” That, and maybe making some of those “connections” Vex and Scanlan are always telling him are so important. Or even just a friend or two, bonding over how terrible the event is.

Vax spots her right away, the radiant woman who seems so uncomfortable in her deep green evening gown. She's got a glass of wine in her hand as she makes conversation with one of the stuffy-looking guys in suits, clearly wanting to be anywhere but here. He takes the opportunity to pass by her and say hello. She turns, grateful for the distraction, and flashes a genuine smile his way. He winks in return, and her cheeks color to rival her red hair.

Keyleth isn’t sure who asks first. From her point of view, it is an entirely mutual decision, and now she’s in some back hallway in some random ass convention center, hooking up with a stranger. Their lips meet once, twice, and the mysterious man's hands grip her hips and tug gently. She helps him help her back him against the wall, and he pulls her as close as possible, sighing into her mouth at the contact. He nips at her bottom lip and she squeaks a little. She breaks their kiss, panting.

"Names. We haven't done names," she says. "It doesn't seem proper."

"You _do_ seem to care about what's proper and what's not."

"Hey." She pokes him lightly in the sternum. "Not fair."

The dark-haired man laughs, a genuine and delighted sound, and dips his head a little. "Vax'ildan. At your service." Her face must show some degree of foreboding, because he adds, "You can call me Vax."

"Keyleth," she replies, feeling oddly shy all of a sudden. Here she is, in this back hallway, already up against the wall with a stranger, and just now she chooses to be shy. Said stranger takes her hand, lifting it in the few inches between their bodies, and brushes his lips over it. Keyleth feels a wonderful thrill crawl up her spine.

"The pleasure is all mine, Keyleth."

The words leave her mouth before she can stop them. "Well, I should hope not."

She realizes what she's said, then, and she feels her face flame up as her head drops to Vax's shoulder, and they're both laughing a little, his breath puffing over the back of her head, and then she's looking him in the eyes and feeling the uncomfortable shrinking sensation of real, full, eye contact.

"Hey," she says.

"Hey," he replies.

His head darts forward and plants a peck on her lips, and she giggles; on her neck, and she sighs. "May I do something for you, Keyleth?" he asks. _Anything_, she wants to reply.

She lets him turn her around, lets him lean her against the wall as he sinks to his knees, entrusting the smooth drywall and tacky wallpaper to keep her upright as he slips her skirt up and ducks under it. Deft fingers ghost over her clit through fabric, making her squirm, and then he slips her underwear down her legs and then everything is soft heat.

His tongue slides easily along her and she's wet already, clamping a hand over her mouth to keep from crying out as Vax's lips close around as much of her as they can and suck. Her knees threaten to give out as he continues, but his hands are solid on her hips still and she can't think right now about how right that feels and so she concentrates on her pleasure, and how his long hair feels against her thighs, and presses him closer to her through her dress, and _feels_ it when he moans at her touch. His technique worsens considerably with the new angle, sinking a little lower on his knees and shuddering at Keyleth’s hand on the back of his head, pushing him into her warmth. He’s sloppy now, distracted, but his shockingly dexterous fingers more than make up the difference, slipping inside her and pressing, pressing—

Keyleth shakes as she comes, clutching desperately at the wall for a moment before giving up finding a handhold there, instead grounding herself by pressing harder against the head of the stranger beneath her dress. She’s sure she’s leaving obvious bite marks in her own arm in her efforts not to cry out loud to the whole convention center, but she doesn’t care, world narrowed to the man up her skirts. 

When she's come to her senses, Vax has slipped out from under her dress, but he's still kneeling on the floor in front of her. His hands are in the pockets of his impressively nice suit pants, and his face is flushed and a little bit sticky looking, and he's panting and he has the biggest dopiest grin she's ever seen.

"Holy shit, Vax. You really know what you're doing."

His voice is a little shaky when he answers, glancing at the floor. "Thank you. That was–– uhn. Wow. You are just so– wow."

“Someone enjoyed that, huh?” She sounds more composed than she feels, still a tad jelly-legged, and she gets no small satisfaction at how eagerly this guy nods at her entirely rhetorical question.

Keyleth thinks she might be in love.

“Next time,” she pants, and there’s her running her mouth again, assuming a next time, “I want to be able to see you.” She extends an arm and helps Vax to his feet, leaning closer to murmur in his ear. “Meanwhile, what can I say or do to _possibly_ repay you for your kindness?”

Vax shudders against her, still panting, as she backs him up against the wall once again. He’s _responsive_ when he’s turned on, she finds. Soft wet kisses on his neck and he gasps and squirms. She pinches his nipple through the thin fabric of his shirt and is rewarded with a delightful squeak and an “oh…” She could kiss him forever, probably, crowded as close as possible against him, feeling his every sigh, his hands in her hair and drifting down her back, the taste of herself on his plush lips…

A posh voice floats down an adjacent corridor, unnoticed by the two so very interested in each other. “Keyleth, your father is getting worried–” getting closer– “and I just thouOH MY GOD. OK. Wow. I’ll just–”

Keyleth whips around to see the face of her best friend trying to look absolutely anywhere else. She tries her best to compose herself and clears her throat. “Uh. Hi, Percy! _Lovely_ evening.” Shit.

Percy just looks right at her. He hasn’t seen Vax’s face yet, as he’d immediately turned his back and was presumably straightening his tie and buttoning his collar, but as he turns back around Percy’s face breaks into barely contained mirth. “So you two know each other, then?”

Vax stares at Percy, confused. “Wait. How do _you_ two know each other?”

Keyleth puts her head in her hands. “Oh god, you two know each other.”

Percy grimaces. “Well, we could sort all this out, or we could get you back to the party. Your dad will be looking for you.”

Vax isn’t sure he’s heard right. Her dad? But she’s a grown w– shit. The red hair, the small head and hands, the same smile. Yep. OK. This is a politician’s daughter whose skirts he’s just been up.

Before Vax can do anything more than just stand there dumbstruck, a second voice drifts down the corridor. “Percy, darling– I couldn’t find him, have you had any luck?” Keyleth feels a sudden movement beside her, and then Vax is just gone. Looking up, she sees the face of Percy’s new girlfriend and _oh._ Shit indeed. Vex’ahlia strides briskly down the corridor, heels thump-thumping on the carpet, every inch the picture of imposing and determined. Keyleth almost fears she might be in trouble. Vex does look nice tonight, though, hair swept back in a way that accents her angular cheekbones.

_ **Oh.** _

Keyleth is so, so dumb.

“Vex, darling, I was just chatting with our good friend Keyleth here. I was going to rejoin the party, now that I’ve found her. Care to join me?” Percy is talking way too fast in the way that only Keyleth knows means he’s hiding something.

Vex looks unimpressed. “Right, dear, you do that. I’m going to continue looking for my brother.” She casts a searching, though not unkind, look at Keyleth before allowing herself to be led further off down the hallway.

“I really think he went this way, dear,” Percy proclaims airily as the two wander off.

Keyleth feels a gentle poke either side of her ribcage and bites back a startled squeak. “Gotcha,” says a familiar voice in her ear, as arms wrap around her waist from behind. 

Keyleth turns in Vax’s grasp and presses a kiss to his nose. “Was that your sister?”

Vax grimaces. “Yes, and I know she’d rather not think about any possibility it was me out here.” He pauses before asking, “Was that your _dad_?”

“Who, Percy? No! Why? He’s way too young to– oh yeah. _That’s_ my dad. Out there. Right.” She laughs, an awkward genuine thing, and Vax melts a little in her arms. He;s sure his grin is even wider and goofier than before.

“Let’s not talk about it, alright? They’ll both find out soon enough. We have better things to do.” 

Keyleth winks, reaching down and giving his ass a squeeze. “_I_ have better things to do.”

Vax is backing towards an empty conference room neither had noticed before, pulling her with him, and a moment later Vex and Percy hear a door slam behind them.

“Percy. Who was Keyleth with?”

Percy shrugs. “Didn’t see the person’s face.”

Vex groans. “I _knew_ it was my brother. I didn’t want to know that, Percy!”

_“I didn’t say anything!”_

“Come on. Let’s go and dance so I never have to think about this again.”

**Author's Note:**

> much of the inspiration for the ending comes from ao3 user alexygalaxy and her fic Unexpected Encounters, which is very good and everyone should read it.


End file.
